Samuels sets up easy T20 win for West Indies

DHAKA (Reuters)- Marlon Samuels struck 85 off 43 balls as world champions West Indies beat Bangladesh by 18 runs in the only Twenty20 international of their tour on Monday.

Samuels hit three fours and nine sixes, including four in the final over bowled by Rubel Hossain, as West Indies piled up 197-4 before restricting the home side to 179-1.

Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah shared 132 runs in an unbroken second wicket to ensure West Indies did not relax for a second before Bangladesh surrendered in the final four overs.

It was Bangladesh’s highest partnership in any wicket in a Twenty20 international, surpassing Mohammad Ashraful’s and Aftab Ahmed’s third-wicket 109 against West Indies in the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 in Johannesburg in 2007.

Mahmudullah smashed Kemar Roach for two sixes and a four in the final over of the innings to complete his maiden Twenty20 fifty and stay 64 not out after facing 48 balls.

Samuels, man of the match in the ICC World Twenty20 final in October, took the game away from Bangladesh after he was given some reprieve by Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim in the early part of his innings.

He was dropped by Rahim on 10 and 23, both times off Ziaur Rahman, before the Bangladesh skipper missed a stumping chance off off-spinner Sohag Gazi with the batsman on 25.

Rubel gave Bangladesh, who won the one-day series 3-2, a dream start by uprooting the middle stump of Chris Gayle for six before he did same with Dwayne Smith (24), the other opener.

Samuels, who added 66 with Darren Bravo (41) in the third wicket, cracked Rubel for four sixes and a four to take 29 runs in the final over, making the bowler’s figureS 4-0-63-2, the worst by a Bangladeshi in the Twenty20 format. (Editing by Clare Fallon)